Tuesday, November 19, 2013

1. They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves
Mentally strong people don’t sit around feeling sorry about their circumstances or how others have treated them. Instead, they take responsibility for their role in life and understand that life isn’t always easy or fair.
2. They Don’t Give Away Their Power
They don’t allow others to control them, and they don’t give someone else power over them. They don’t say things like, “My boss makes me feel bad,” because they understand that they are in control over their own emotions and they have a choice in how they respond.
3. They Don’t Shy Away from Change
Mentally strong people don’t try to avoid change. Instead, they welcome positive change and are willing to be flexible. They understand that change is inevitable and believe in their abilities to adapt.
4. They Don’t Waste Energy on Things They Can’t Control
You won’t hear a mentally strong person complaining over lost luggage or traffic jams. Instead, they focus on what they can control in their lives. They recognize that sometimes, the only thing they can control is their attitude.
5. They Don’t Worry About Pleasing Everyone
Mentally strong people recognize that they don’t need to please everyone all the time. They’re not afraid to say no or speak up when necessary. They strive to be kind and fair, but can handle other people being upset if they didn’t make them happy.
6. They Don’t Fear Taking Calculated Risks
They don’t take reckless or foolish risks, but don’t mind taking calculated risks. Mentally strong people spend time weighing the risks and benefits before making a big decision, and they’re fully informed of the potential downsides before they take action.
7. They Don’t Dwell on the Past
Mentally strong people don’t waste time dwelling on the past and wishing things could be different. They acknowledge their past and can say what they’ve learned from it. However, they don’t constantly relive bad experiences or fantasize about the glory days. Instead, they live for the present and plan for the future.
8. They Don’t Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over
Mentally strong people accept responsibility for their behavior and learn from their past mistakes. As a result, they don’t keep repeating those mistakes over and over. Instead, they move on and make better decisions in the future.
9. They Don’t Resent Other People’s Success
Mentally strong people can appreciate and celebrate other people’s success in life. They don’t grow jealous or feel cheated when others surpass them. Instead, they recognize that success comes with hard work, and they are willing to work hard for their own chance at success.
10. They Don’t Give Up After the First Failure
Mentally strong people don’t view failure as a reason to give up. Instead, they use failure as an opportunity to grow and improve. They are willing to keep trying until they get it right.
11. They Don’t Fear Alone Time
Mentally strong people can tolerate being alone and they don’t fear silence. They aren’t afraid to be alone with their thoughts and they can use downtime to be productive. They enjoy their own company and aren’t dependent on others for companionship and entertainment all the time but instead can be happy alone.
12. They Don’t Feel the World Owes Them Anything
Mentally strong people don’t feel entitled to things in life. They weren’t born with a mentality that others would take care of them or that the world must give them something. Instead, they look for opportunities based on their own merits.
13. They Don’t Expect Immediate Results
Whether they are working on improving their health or getting a new business off the ground, mentally strong people don’t expect immediate results. Instead, they apply their skills and time to the best of their ability and understand that real change takes time.
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Qualities of a Great Real Estate Agent
55. Work with a Realtor and be sure that Realtor represents your interests, not the Seller.
– Marty Martinez
56. Make certain that you have a buyer’s agent to represent your best interests.
– Cynthia McKenna
57. Make sure that whoever you are working with is someone you can trust and that will put your interests in front of their own. If they care enough, they will ask you lots of questions!
– Steven Pagano
58. Be absolutely certain that you align with the right real estate broker and loan officer. A good real estate team will help a buyer purchase a home that fits well within their budget.
– Randy Schulenburg
59. All Realtors are not created equally and should hire a professional, competent and knowledgeable Realtor that can explain the process.
– Alexander Vazquez
60. Work with an agent close to or within your market area, as their experience on local market trends is invaluable. Also ensure that their agent is a full-time agent.
– Alfred Saiz
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Find Out How Much Financing You’re Eligible For
29. Do not look for a home for the amount you are qualified to buy with your mortgage agent. Ask him to tell you how much you can buy based on the mortgage amount you are comfortable paying every month.
– Charles Miltenberger
30. Have a good conversation with a loan officer or mortgage broker to check all the options regarding financing.
– Ximena Alzate
31. It’s essential to get pre-approved for a loan.
– Laurie Shapiro
32. Know your finances and speak to a lender first.
– Sheryl Dicarlo
33. There are a lot of opportunities out there for financing, no matter your credit score.
– Ronnie Sanchez
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

How to Choose the Right Home
23. Choose the property according to your needs.
– Nefer Londono
24. The most important thing when buying a home is location, location, location!
– Jeffrey Fairchild
25. Love what you buy.
– Anita Zubov
26. When you feel the feeling of finding your dream, act quickly.
– Jay Talenda
27. Take the time to search for a home that suits you and meets your personal/financial needs.
– Carlos Armas
28. Buy the “most house” that you can comfortably buy, and, even perhaps, push yourself to the limit of your pre-approved amount. Thus, you will be satisfied with your purchase for a longer period of time.
– Charles Lipford
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Educate Yourself on Local Market Conditions
15. Interest rates are still low.
– Tatiana Guila
16. Buyers have to be aware of market conditions.
– Margoth Sinclair
17. You will probably move in the next seven years, so make sure to think about resale value in the near future.
– Barry Krupp
18. The market hit its bottom last year. So far, this year’s prices are up by about 10 percent since last year’s and home values are continuing to increase.
– Martin Miller
19. The market is shifting, so you have to be aggressive with your home search because properties are selling quicker with multiple offers.
– Alice Green
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Consider if It Is Better to Rent or Own
11. Don’t forget that rent is a variable,; it will likely be much higher five years from now.
– Daniel Locascio
12. The real estate market has made it cheaper to own than rent.
– Darryl Williams
13. Know the trade offs of renting verses owning.
– Ajay Jagga
14. When considering your price point, start with the amount of rent you are paying now, not necessarily what the bank/mortgage company says they will loan you.
– Debra Grog
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

How Much Can You Afford?
6. Have a budget. It may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many first-time home buyers don’t know how much money they have to spend on their new house.
– Walter Black
7. Figure out your personal budget to determine how much you can truly afford, then get pre-qualified and compare the amounts. Use the lowest of the two.
– Jorge Fernandez
8. Purchase a home that you can afford.
– Reynalda Chavez
9. Keep your mortgage within your budget and find a neighborhood that has amenities that will fit your needs.
– Daniel Sompolski
10. Protect yourself: Get pre-qualified for a mortgage so you don’t spend more than you can afford for a home.
– Anthony Leone
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Set Your Expectations
1. Set the correct expectations. Take out a blank piece of paper and write out your wish list.
– Dulce Monahan
2. There is no such thing as the perfect home, but there is a home that is perfect for you.
– Sheena Weatherly
3. Make sure you know what you want before starting the buying process.
– Ashly Haley
4. Be prepared! Have a list of your “wants” created, and all your financial documents lined up with the lender so you know how much buying power you really have.
– Stacey Rider
5. Be patient and realistic when looking for your first home. It is important to find a home within your financial position at the time of purchase. Remember, your first home most likely won’t be your last.
– Kyle Seyboth
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Friday, November 8, 2013

WASHINGTON – Nov. 8, 2013 – Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose slightly last week but remained near historically low levels.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year loan increased to 4.16 percent from 4.10 percent last week, which was the lowest level in four months. The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 3.27 percent from 3.20 percent.
Rates have been falling since September when the Federal Reserve surprised investors by continuing to buy $85 billion a month in bonds. The purchases are intended to keep long-term interest rates low.

The First Coast finally gets a Big Break.
Golf Channel’s popular reality show, which offers participants a chance to play on professional tours if they survive a series of skills challenges, wrapped up 11 days of filming its 21st edition on Thursday at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort. “Big Break: Florida” is the third to be filmed in the Sunshine State but the first outside Central Florida.
“Big Break: Reunion” aired in 2007, from the Reunion Resort in Orlando, and “Big Break: Disney” was shown in 2009 from the Disney World Resort courses.
The cast for this edition of the Big Break is all-female, which historically draws the highest ratings — hardly surprising since 74 percent of Golf Channel viewers are male.
The identify of the cast will remain secret until a preview show on Feb. 5. The premiere will be Feb. 24 at 9 p.m.
Golf Channel spokesman Jeremy Friedman would say only that the cast of 12 is made up of a mix of budding professionals and players attempting to get back to the pro ranks. They were selected from an initial lot of about 3,000 applicants.
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

Tourism to Amelia Island is on the upswing.
In fact, the resort and hotel locations have drawn more visitors in the past year than ever before, a new study shows.
For the first time, more than 500,000 visitors stayed in resorts and hotels along the Nassau County coast, according to research conducted by Research Data Services Inc., which tracks tourism trends.
In total, 504,300 tourists paid for overnight lodging on Amelia Island between Oct. 1, 2012 and Sept. 30, 2013. That’s a 9.7 percent increase over the previous fiscal year, a news release issued Tuesday stated.
“Florida tourism as a whole is on the upswing,” said Danny Leeper, chairman of the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council. “But Amelia Island continues to outperform destinations throughout the Southeast thanks in large part to the outstanding efforts of the TDC and its marketing team and tremendous support from local industry partners.”
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com

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For all of us, saving money should be a top priority. Please let me know if you have questions or need assistance. It would be a pleasure to help.
John Holbrook - Realtor Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach & Yulee, Florida
Cell: 904-415-0171
Email: holbrook66@msn.com
www.johneholbrook.com